Response Paper on “Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry PDF

Preview

Summary

Response Paper on “Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry...

Description

1 Min Zhao Min English 215 October 21, 2019

Response Paper on “Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry

“Alzheimer’s” by Kelly Cherry is a poem about a man who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease. He returns from hospital on a sunny afternoon and is shocked to see an unfamiliar face standing at the door welcoming him. There are two key settings that can be observed in this poem: the age of the man and the man’s house, including the objects found inside the house. Although the man's age is not specified in the poem, he appears to be in his seventies as observed in the poem “ a crazy old man” (line 1) and his wife “white-haired woman” (27). However, the main character “remembers himself as a young man” (18-19) that makes the particular setting really stands out by comparing the past which is the present in his mind, and the present which is the forgotten past for the man. Another thing that stands out in the poem is the items that the man carries inside his suitcase. The shaving cream and the book are everyday items that can be found in the bag of a typical man. The piggy bank, usually associated with children, however, tells the reader about the state of mind of the main character. In addition, flowers usually connote joyfulness, purity, and beauty. On the contrary, the flowers in this poem “roses and columbine slug it out for space”(6-7) symbolizes his confusing and complicated state of mind which would otherwise be peaceful and joyful in the absence of the disease. The line that stands out to me to me in the poem is “Sun hardens the house, reifies it”(10).

2 Min It seems to draw a comparison between the hardening of the brain and the loss of function of the brain cells which ultimately causes the Alzheimer’s disease with the evaporation of water due to the sun that causes the hardening of wood in the house. Therefore, it can be concluded that the poet succeeds in describing the old man with Alzheimer’s strange behavior and his deteriorating brain function by comparing his perceived young and old age, as well as comparing his condition with everyday objects that surrounds the old man.

Work Cited

3 Min

Cherry, Kelly. “Alzheimer’s.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Kelly J. Mays. Shorter 12th ed. New York: Norton, 2016. 777-778. Print....